Metal feeder



W. ALDERDICE METAL FEEDER Aug. 6, 1929.,

3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 17, 1926 ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1929. W ALDERDICE METAL FEEDER I F iled Sept. 17, 1926 s She'ts-Sheet 2 Aug. 6, 1929. w. ALDERDICE METAL FEEDER 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 17, 1926 ENTQR "M I ATTORNEY Fatenteel Aug. 6, 1%29.

-UNITE S v if l,723,595

WALTER ALD'ERDICE, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNDB TO ALFRED W. CI-IANNING, INC, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPGRATION OF NEW YORK.

METAL Application filed. September lily invention relates to a device for automatically feeding a bar of metal to a melting pot. The invention is especially useful in feeding bars of metal to the metal pot of a linotype, machine, or other machine in which type or slugs are adapted to be cast. In such machines there is a metal pot maintained at a sufiicient temperature, by means of a burner, to keep the type metal, which is usually composed of lead, tin and antimony, in a melted condition, so the-t the metal may be forced by a pump into a suitable mould for casting type or slugs. It is customary to add pigs or bars of type metal to the metal pot from time to time as the molten metal in the pot is consumed, inorderto maintain proper supply in the metal pot. Various devices have been proposed for controlling the supply of metal to the metal pot and the present invention is adapted to perform this function automatically. The present device is adapted to feed a bar or other body of metal to the metal pot whenever the molten metal has been diminished to a certain predetermined extent; and the device is adapted to feed the bar of metal to the molten metal under the control of a float which rises and lowers according to the level of the molten metal in the metal pot. The principal object of the present device is to maintain an automatic feed of the metal but to prevent the metal pot from overflowin The present device embodies, in addition to a sup port or guide for the bar of metal which is to be fed, a clutch device which adapted to be released when the bar of metal is fed into the metal pot. This clutch is automatically released by the shifting motion of the metal pot which ordinarily takes place when the throat of the metal pot moved up against the casting die, so that the motion of the metal pot in the ordinary operation of a line casting machine, serves to release the clutch and allow'the bar of metal to feed into the molten metal. This clutch is only operated, however, when the level of the molten metal decreases below a certain predete1= mined point. lVith the present device, if the metal pot should, in making its forward movement toward the casting mould, dwell in its forward. position, which is the direction in which the clutch is released, the latter will not remain disengaged from the bar of metal as in previous de ijm i be held in the lei FEEDER.

17, 1926. serial No. 136,027.

of metal which is being fed to the pot may continue to melt down until the molten metal overflows the metal pot. In the present machine the cluteh is released by a trigger action which takes place in a brief period of time and which will not cause the clutch to be held open regardless of whether the metal pot dwells in casting position for any length of time. This advantage is obtained in a device having a float for controlling the actuation of the clutch when the level of the molten metal goes below a predetermined point. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings forming part of this ap plication,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a metal feeder embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the trig- Figure 3 is a perspective view of a lever through which the clutch device is operated,

Figure 4 is an elevation of the lower part of the device,

Figure 5 is a similar view with the parts in the position at about the moment the trigger trips, 7 V Figure 6 is a perspective viewof the clutch which engages the bar of metal,

Figure 7 is an edge view of the device,

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1,

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7, and

Figure 10 is a similar view taken on the line 10-1O of Figure 7.

The device as a whole is adapted to he fitted onto the open top of the metal pot of a linotype machine; that is, in the embodiment of the invention shown herein. For this purpose the frame 1 of the present apparatus is provided with a base 2 having a ledge 3 which is adapted to rest on the upper edge of the metal pot (not shown) so that theframe 1 inclines at an angle to the position of the metal pot or to the horizontal. The frame 1 is provided wit-h a series of walls l, extending in a. generally vertical position; and these walls form a chamber 5 into which a bar of type metal is adapted to be inserted from the open top end of the chamber 5. The ohainbe 5 tier-efore its usually supplied to devices of this kind.

The bar of metal shown dotted at S in Figure 5 is adapted to freely slide down the chamber 5 and to rest on the supporting bracket 9 some distance below the frame 1, unless the bar is otherwise supported in a higher position by the clutch device. In other words, the bracket 9 serves to limit the downward movement of the bar of metal by engaging its bottom end at the time the clutch is released. WVhen the bar of metal does reach down to the supporting bracket 9 it will ordinarily extend into the body of molten metal which is within the metal pot, the latter not being shown in the drawings.

The clutch proper consists of the yoke 10 which partially surrounds the bar of metal and which is pivoted at the point 11 so that the cross member 12 of this yoke may swing toward and from one edge of the bar of metal. The loweredge 13 of the cross member 12 is the portion which actually engages with and grips one edge of the bar of metal held in the channel 5. The clutch is adapted to retain the bar of metal in a position where its lower endwill be above the maximum or extreme upper level. of the molten metal in the metal pot, which position will be some distance above the supporting bracket 9 which represents the extreme lower position of the bar. The clutch is also adapted to support the bar of metal in any position intermediate these two extremes.

The yoke member has an extension 14 forming a lever arm 14, to the free end of which is connected one end of a coiled spring 15 the other end of this sprin being fixed at 16 to a portion of the frame 1, so that this spring draws on the lever arm 14 to maintain the clutch engaged with the bar of metal whichisbeing fed, except when the tension of the spring is overcome by the operating device hereinafter described. There is a link 17 extending through a guiding slot 18 in the frame, and one end of this link is pivoted to the yoke 10 at the point 19 for the purpose of swinging the yoke on its pivot 11 for the purpose of disengaging the clutch from the bar of metal. The other end of this link is pivoted at the point 21 with one arm of a lever which rocks on the pivot 22 secured to the frame. This lever partially straddles the frame 1 and it has an upwardly extending arm 23 provided with a boss 24 onits upper end. This boss forms a bearing for a stud 25 on which the trigger 26 is pivoted. One end of this trigger is preferably counterbalaneed or weighted by means of a weight 27 to partially offset or counterbalance the weight of the float. The opposite end of the trigger 26 has a face 28 which is adapted to engage with the tripping block 29. The latter is adjustable in position on the rod 30 by means of the set screw 31. The adjustment of this block upon the rod 30 will detern'iine the thrust of the lever 20, 23 and this will determine the extent of movement of the clutch-device. The rod 30 is mounted to shift horizontally or in the direction of its length in the bearing members 32 formed as integral parts of the frame 1.

The rod 30 has a short arm 33, fixed thereto; and one end of the coiled spring 34 is secured to this arm and the opposite end of the spring is secured to a pin 35 on the frame, so that this spring has a tendency to pull the rod 30 to the left in Figures 4 and 5, and to the right in Figure 1. On the opposite end of the rod 30 there is a clamp 36 which is adjustable in position thereon. arm 37 pivoted to the clamp 36 and its weight ed end 39 is adapted to swing downwardly in position to be engaged by the member 40 which is a. part of the linotype machine toward which the metal pot is moved in the operation of bringing the throat of the metal pot against the mould of the machine. As stated, the metal pot and the remaining parts of the line casting machine are omitted from the drawings in this case as these are all-well known in the art. The clamp 36 is adjustable There is a swinging along the rod 30 in order that the arm 37 may 'be positioned according to the requirements of the particular line casting machine to which the feeding device is applied.

There is a chain or other flexible member 41 connected at one end to the trigger 26 and this chain extends downwardly through a guiding aperture 42 in the bracket 43; and at the lower end the chain is provided with a metal Heat 44 which is of such character as will cause it to floaton the top of the molten metal in the metal pot. Usually this float is made of cast iron in order to withstand the operation of the device, but this forms no part of my present invention.

I have shown the screw 46 threaded into the wall 6 of the frame to lie in ahorizontal position under the trigger 26, and this screw secures an eccentric bearing member 4'2 in position to act as the fulcrum during; the

i the travel of the rod 30 at which the trigger will disengage from the tripping block 29.

Operation. The feeder is applied to the top of the metal pot, so that the frame '1 rests with its shoulder 3 on the top of the metal pot. A bar of metal is inserted from the top into the chamber 5 and it will slide downin this clutch or it will rest'withits lower end on the supporting bracket 9, according to whether the clutch is in engaging position or out of engaging position. \Vhen the bar of type metal is first inserted into the chamber 5 it may be long enough to extend some distance above the top of'the frame 1. As the metal pot moves forwardly to bring the spout against the face of the casting mould,'in the ordinary operation of the linotype machine, the rocking arm 37 will engage the stationary member 40 of the linotype machine; and after this arm 37 has been partly moved back, the longitudinal rod 30 will commence to move toward the right in Figure 4 where it is shown in its extreme left hand position. It will beunderstood that the float 44 which is carried by the chain 41 is floating near the top of the molten metal in the pot and the chain is of such length that when thelevel of the molten metal goes down to a point where additional metal should be supplied to the metal pot, the trigger arm 26 is held down by the float and chain as shown in Figure 4, so that the forward face of this trigger is in the path of the tripping block 29. As the rod 30 moves to the right in Figure 4, in opposition to the spring 34 the tripping block 29 will move the trigger to the right. As the trigger is pivoted to the lever arm 23 this arm will also be rocked upon its pivot 22 by the rearward movement of the trigger; and this will cause the lever arm 20 to move upwardly in Figure 4, and it will act through the link 17 to swing the clutch member up wardly; whereupon, the clutch disengages from the bar of metal which is in the compartment 5. This will allow the bar of metal to move downwardly until its lower end rests on the bracket 9 at which time this lower end of the bar will either extend into the molten metal or into such close proximity to it that the lower end of the bar will be heated to such a degree as to melt it; and this metal which melts from the lower end of the bar is added. to the body ofmolten metal in the pot. As the tripping block 29 moves the trigger to the right, the trigger, as above stated, carries the lever arm 23 to the right,

and during this movement the trigger fulcrums on the eccentric bearing member 47. The movement causes the forward end of the trigger, which is engaged by the tripping block, to gradually rise with a sliding action against the face of the tripping block. At about the time the parts reach the position shown in Figure 5, the trigger will disenfrom the tripping block and as soon as this occurs the trigger is quickly moved to the left under the action of the spring which draws on the arm 14 and returns the clutch to active position. The motion is transmitted through the link 17 and the lever arm 20 to the lever arm 23, which latter carrice the trigger. This return action is a quick or snappy action and it causes the edge 13 of the clutch to slightly dig into the edge of the metal bar so that the clutch secures a firm hold on this bar.

The trigger is adjusted in its action by regulating the eccentric bearing member 47 so that the trigger disengages from the tripping block 29 before the actuating rod 30 has made its full stroke to the right in Figure 5; that is to say, the trigger is tripped before the metal pot has gone forwardly to the extreme of its throw and before the throat of themetal pot has been placed against the face of the casting mould.' If the metal pot should dwell at its extreme or casting position. the clutch member of the present feeding device will not remain in disengaged position because the clutch will return before the metal pot has reached the casting position. If the clutch is not released before the metal pot reaches this position, and if the metal pot were allowed to dwell in casting position, there would be nothing to prevent the bar of metal from melting away at the bottom and from the bar moving down as it melted away, until the metal in the pot overflowed.

Each time the metal pot goes forward into casting position the rod 30 is moved as above described, and with it moves the tripping block 29. If the level of the molten metal in the pot is high, so that additional metal is not required, at that moment the float 44 will be held up by the molten metal to a point where the chain 41 will allow the trigger arm 26 to rise above the path of the tripping block 29 under the action of its counterlmlancing or weighted arm 27. Under such conditions, when the rod 30 makes its movement to the right, the trigger will not be acted upon by the tripping block and therefore the clutch will not be released from the bar of metal during this particular movement of the metal pot. The metal pot may make successive movements in this way without actuating the clutch; but when the level of the molten metal has been lowered to a point where ad- (.litional metal should be supplied to the pet, the float 44 will lower to the point clutch, in the manner above described.

where the trigger is again held in the path of the tripping block; and in the next successive movement of the latter the trigger will be operated to cause the release of the The clamp 36 may be adjusted along the rod to suit the spacing of the feeding device from the member with which the arm 37 engages, on each particular machine. The tripping block may be adjusted along the rod 30 to determine the thrust of the lever arm 23 and therefore the extent of movement of the clutch. The eccentric bearing member 47 may be adjusted by releasing the screw -16 and turning the eccentric and then again tightening the screw. This adjustment of the cocentric is to regulate the point at which the trigger will disengage from the tripping block, in order that the parts may be regulated to cause the tripping of the trigger before the metal pot has made its extreme forward movement. These adjusements adapt the feeding device for different forms of linotype machines and allow for variations in the positions of the various parts.

It will be apparent from the above that I have provided means for feeding a bar of metal to a metal pot, wherein the feeding of the metal is caused automatically by the movement of the metal pot, but the actual feeding is controlled or determined by the height of the metal in the pot, so that the level of the molten metal may be maintained between a desired maximum and minimum level. It is also apparent that if the metal pot is allowed to dwell in casting position that the bar of metal will not by reason of said dwell be allowed to melt down and cause an overflow of the metal in the pot. There is no chance in the ordinary operation of the linotvpe machine of the metal pot dwelling intermediate its extreme positions although at times it may dwell in the casting position. By a quick or snappy return action of the clutch member, the latter secure a firmer grip upon the bar of metal, so that it has a more positive hold. This is desirable in view of the weight of the bar of metal.

Having described my invention, What I claim is:

1. A device for feeding a bar of metal, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on a movable metal pot, said device including a clutch for controlling the feed of the bar of metal to the metal not a tri 3 vin device actuated by the mo vement of the metal pot, a trigfor controlling the actuation of the clutch and adapted to be operated by said tripping device, and means for causing said trigger to disengage from said tripping device before 7 the metal pet has completed its movement in one direction.

causing the release of the clutch, and a float co-operating with the molten metal in said pot and adapted to control the engagement of said trigger with said tripping device and means for automatically releasing said trigger from said tripping device to restore the ic-lutc'ln'prio-r to the completion of the movement of the metal potin one direction.

3. A device for feeding a bar of metal, com 'nrising a frame adapted to be mounted on a movable metal pot, said device including a clutch for controlling the feed of the bar of metal to the metal pot, means for operating said clutch to release the bar of metal for the feeding operation, a tripping device actuated by the movement of the metal pot, a counter balanced trigger actuated by said tripping device for releasing said clutch, and a float co-operating with the molten metal in said pot for controlling the engagement of said trigger with said tripping device and means for automatically releasing the trigger from said tripping device to restore the clutch before the metal pot reaches casting position.

4. A device for feeding a bar of metal, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on a movable metal pot, a clutch for controlling the feed of the bar of metal to the metal pot, means for operating said clutch to re lease the bar of metal for the feeding opera tion, comprising a lover, a trigger pivoted to said lever, a tripping device operated by the movement of the metal pot for actuating said trigger, a float co-operating with the molten metal in the pot for controlling the engagement of said trigger with said trip ping device, and means for causing said trigger to disengage from said tripping device before the latter completes its operation.

5. A device for feeding a bar of metal, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on a'movable metal pot, a clutch for controlling the feed of the bar of metal to the metal pot, means for operating said clutch to release the bar of metal for the feeding operation, including a lever, a trigger pivoted to said lever, a tripping member for actuating said trigger, and an adjustable eccentric fulcrum for said trigger to control the point at which the trigger will disengage from said tripping member.

6. A device for feeding a bar of metal, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on a movable metal pot, a clutch for control ling the feed of the bar of metal to the metal pot, means for operating said clutch to release the bar of metalfor the feeding opera tion, comprising a lever and a trig h ated. thereto, a iipreeating memhe...

ated by the movement of the metal pot, a tripping member adjustable on said reciprocating member and adapted to actuate said trigger to release said clutch.

7. A device for feeding a bar of metal, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on a movable metal pot, a clutch for controlling the feed of the bar of metal to the metal pot, means for operating said clutch, comprising a spring for forcing the clutch into engagement with the bar of metal, and means for releasing said clutch, comprising co-operating tripping members actuated by the movement of the metal pot and means to antomatically disengage said co-operating members one from the other before the metal pot has completed its movement in one direction.

8. A device for feeding a bar of metal,

comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on a movable metal pot, a clutch for controlling the feed of the bar of metal to the metal pot, means for operating said clutch, comprising a spring for forcing the clutch into engagement With the bar of metal, means for releasing said clutch, comprising co-opcrating tripping members actuated by the movement of the metal pot and means to trip said co-operating tripping members one from the other before the metal pot has completed its movement in one direction, and a float cooperating with the metal in said pot for controlling the co-operative engagement of said tripping members.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 9th day of September, 1926.

WALTER ALDERDIGE. 

